The results are in.
Christmas is a time for gathering together with family, frantic present shopping and eating excessively. Christmas sambos and the main event of the dinner are obviously a huge part of this, but coming up the rear like a four wheel drive are the old reliable, always enticing Christmas chocolate tubs. From Roses to Celebrations, there's no denying that all the tubs are great in their own way, and an essential part of the festive landscape. But not all tubs are created equal; not as far as I'm concerned anyway.
If you're embarking on the big shop this weekend and wondering which tub to favour, we've decided to put in the hard graft and rank the top four iconic chocolate tubs in order from worst to best.
4. Roses
I hate to do this to any chocolate tub, but Roses, your number is up. They've served us well for decades, and will always hold a special place in our hearts, but the tub has suffered a number of losses in recent years that are too painful to move past. The orange crisp, the chocolate bite (a bit like a mini Crunchie, the realest tub choc to ever do it), the legendary chunky truffle - it just doesn't feel right without the whole team together. Don't get me wrong, I'd still consume a whole tub if it was placed in front of me. I just miss the OGs, is all.
3. Quality Street
Quality Street have the upper hand on Roses because they're something of an underdog, and you're nearly always pleasantly surprised once you start exploring the tub. Unlike Roses, Quality Street's orange crunch offering remains in situ, alongside caramels of the the hard and soft variety to suit all tastes. Dismissed by many as a chocolate for the older consumer, Quality Street could also be cast aside on Irish soil for being, as one Reddit user puts it, "a bit too British". In a shrewd observation,
I_Will_in_Me_Hole continues: "The presentation, the foil, the Victorian looking heads. You'd think twice before breaking them out in front of your mates".
2. Heroes
We're onto the more glamorous offerings now. There's something about the rich purple of a Heroes tub that makes them feel like a real treat and in my humble opinion, the classic creamy taste of Cadbury's is given more of a chance to shine here. Obviously, Heroes will never be the same without Dreams - the absence of white chocolate is sorely felt year after year. But the remaining heroes more than live up to their name; Eclairs, Fudge, the mighty Dairy Milk - if your childhood Christmases were never the same without a selection box, Heroes are the natural adult progression.
1. Celebrations
I'm sure some people out there aren't ready to hear this, but for me, Celebrations are the undisputed seasonal chocolate champions. There's a reason Nessa selected individual Celebrations to gift everyone in the Christmas episode of Gavin and Stacey - there's just so much variety and I'm of the personal belief that Bounty lovers deserve to have as Merry a Christmas as the rest of us. There are so many gems within that hefty red tub - Snickers, Malteasers, Galaxy Caramels, all the perfect accompaniments to your Christmas Day rewatch of Titanic.
We welcome other opinions on festive chocolate order once we can all be agreed on one thing - keep the wrappers out of the blasted tubs.
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